Octave-coupler



(No Model.) Z 'Sh eets -S'heet 1. G. W. INGALLS.,

OOTAVEOOUPLER.

- .No. 246,886. Patented Sept. 13,1881.

five or.

2 Sheets-Sheet :2

(No Model.)

Gr. W.-INGALLS.

OGTAVE COUPLER.

Patented Sept. 13, 1%81.

cat y UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

GUSTAVUS W. INGALLS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

OCTAVE-COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,886, datedSeptember 13, 1881.

' Application filed June 4,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVUS W.1NeALLs, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing atWorcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOctave-Couplers for Keyed Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for causing two notes an octave apartto be struck simul= taneously on the pressure of a single key.

The said invention consists partly iuthe peculiar construction of theframe which holds the conpling-levers, partly in the peculiarconstruction of the levers themselves, and partly in thecombinatioinwith said frame, ofcouplinglevers pivoted therein andarranged in pairs, the levers of each pair being normally in the samelongitudinal line.

These impiovementswill be hereinafter more fully and particularly setforth and claimed. The invention is designed moreiespecially for use inorgans, but may be applied, with slight changes, to pianos and otherstring instrumcnts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofthe coupling-le- "ers and frame in position for working. Fig. 2represents an end view of the same when turned down out of suchposition. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal longitudinal section throughsaid levers and frame. Fig. 4 represents, in detail, a side view of apair of coupling-levers, with the button which presses on the one andthe pitman actuated by the other; and Fig. 5 represents a perspectiveview of the levers and frame when said frame is turned back upon itshinges to expose its bottom.

The same letters indicate the same parts in the different figures.

A designates the frame or hollow bar which holds the coupling-levers,and which is connected by hinges a a to a horizontal front part, B, ofan organ casing, below the key board. These hinges allow said frame tobe held in .sition shown in Fig. 2.

horizontal position, as shown in Fig. l, or low ered into an inclinedposition, as shown in Fig. 2, or turned over backward, (for inspection,cleaning, or repairs,) as shown in Fig. 5. It is moved into this lastposition by hand; but to raise it into the position first named 1 cmploya longitudinal shaft, O, which turns in a suitable recess in the bottomof said frame, at or near the front thereof, and is provided with doublecranks o c, which, when turned into vertical position, press againstsaid horizontal part B of the organ, and thereby liftthe front of theframe to a level With the rear hinged portion. When these cranks areturned out of a vertical position the weight of the front of the framecauses it to descend into the po- Of course, to. permit this inclinationof the frame, it is necessary that the under straps of the hinges ashould be raised above partB of the organ, as shown in Fig. 5. Whencranks c c are turned out of the vertical position they occupy recessesin the bottom of said frame, so as to beflush there-- with. The saidframe orhollow bar A is constructed with a large passage, A, runningfromend to end, to leave room for the play of the inner ends of the frontlevers, D,-and the rear levers, E, which are coupled in pairs D and E byflexible straps or packing K in the middie of said passage or space A.The levers D E of each pair are normally in the same longitudinal line.Broad oblique saw-kert's F run through said frame from side to side,their width being sufficient to allow the necessary vertical play of-the'levers, which are pivoted therein on horizontal pins Gr. Each pinhas a bushing, g, of cloth or other soft material. The top and bottom ofthe frame are similarly lined on the inside to deaden the sound made bythe inner ends of the levers in striking against the same. The body ofsaid frame is preferably cut from a single block of wood provided with acap or cover, A which is fastened thereto in any firm and convenientway. The said frame may, however, be made in severalpieces, and metal orother suitable material may be substituted for wood therein.

Each lever consists of a metal bar having its outer turned so as to behorizontal,and its inner end curved and pointed. The horizontal outerend, 01, of each lever D receives, as show it in Fig. 4, the pressure ofa screw-button, I, on the under side of its appropriate key. The innerend, (1, of said lever is curved downward, so that such pressure causesits convex side to rise against the similar side of the correspondingupwardly-curved inner end, 0, of the lever E, paired therewith. Therising of this end 6' depresses the flat outer end, 0, of said lever E,and this end 6 bears down upon a button, H, on the pitman, which opensthe valve that is an octave below or above the valve which is opened bythe direct action of the key. Thus a sin glepressure on said key opensboth valves.

WVhen the performer desires to open only one valve at a time, he turnsthe shaft 0 so as to let the frameAfall into the position shown in Fig.2, thereby lowering the outer ends, 01, of levers D out of reach of thebuttons 1. The inner end, (1, of lever D has a downwardlyturned hook,(P, and the corresponding end 0 of lever E has a similar upwardly-turnedhook, e These hooks pass through holes in a flexible strap or packing,K, already referred to, which serves as a means of attachment of saidlevers to one another, and also as a pad to deaden their sound when theends d and e strike together. It is preferably made ofalunrtanned orbark-tanned leather. I also sometimes use, either with or without thispacking-strap K, a rubber packing-ring, L, which surrounds the inner endof one of the levers, preferably the end d of lever D.

The outer ends of the coupling-levers need not be bent exactly into ahorizontal position, or one at right angles to the body of the lever,since a lesser angle forming an inclined face will often suffice.

I precomplete in itself.

The body of the bar or lecrank-shaft and coupling-rods, is manufactured5 and sold as an entire article, and applied to an organ without anychange in the latter.

I am aware that it is not broadly new in octave-couplers to employ twolevers having their inner ends connected by a flexible thong, andtherefore I do not claim this feature, broadly; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with ahollow frame or bar, A, a pair of couplinglevers, D E, extending obliquely through said frame and having theircontiguous inner ends within the central open space or passage, A,substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a frame, a pair of coupling-levers pivoted withinthe same, said levers being normally in the same longitudinal line.

3. In an octave-cou ')ler, the levers D and E, having terminal innerhooks, (l 0 in combination with packing-strap K, which serves as a padtherefor.

4. In an octave-coupler, the levers D E,each having its outer endbentinto a plane at right angles to the body of the lever and its innerend curved, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an oetavecoupler, the levers D E,each consisting of a bar havingits outer end bent into a plane at right angles to the body of thelever, their inner ends being arranged to strike together, and guardedby packing, substantially as set forth.

6. A coupler-frame provided with hinges at its rear part, and having acrank-shaft orshipper attached to its bottom, at the front thereof,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAVUS \V. INGALLS.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. BEANE, ELISHA A. SPAULDING.

